Seal statistics ‘fabricated’

SOUTH African-based seal protection group Seal Alert claims senior Namibian fisheries officials have falsified seal population numbers to justify higher culling quotas.

Reacting to the statement issued by Fisheries Permanent Secretary Nangula Mbako this week, Francois Hugo of Seal Alert SA said yesterday that Mbako’s statistics contradicted those issued by her Minister, Dr Abraham Iyambo, in July this year. Mbako said on Monday that recent scientific research had shown an increase of more than 73 per cent in the Namibian seal population, compared to the 1993 estimates.That would mean that Namibia had 379 939 seal pups this year.That contradicted Iyambo’s earlier statement that the seal population had in fact shown an overall recovery rate of 73 per cent compared to the 1993 level, Hugo said.Iyambo had said that Namibia had 185 000 pups this year.Hugo said the continual reference to the 1993 seal population implied that it was the largest seal population ever.However, the mass die-offs of 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2001 cut the seal population by one third, according to Hugo.”There was also one in 1988 and clearly in 2006, another is occurring.The seal population has therefore never recovered from the 1994 mass die-off incident, yet seal culling has increased from 32 545 pups (1994) to 85 000 pups (2006),” Hugo argued.He said the combined Namibian and South African seal population had never exceeded 324 000 pups since the start of official population surveys.”Seal Alert SA is in possession of the official colony-by-colony population surveys, and in 1993, pup population surveys for all 16 seal colonies in Namibia revealed that there were 219 618 pups.Clearly the 185 000 pups announced by the Minister in July 2006 is below the seal pup population recorded in 1993.In fact, the 185 000 pups is the same number recorded in the 1982 seal pup population survey,” Hugo said.He said Mbako’s claim that the pup population had increased 73 per cent between 1993 and 2006 was “pure fabrication, and is in fact some 200 000 pups more than that stated by the Minister in July”.”Inflating and falsifying the seal pup population by over 100 per cent to conceal the mismanagement, and lay claim to over-population as the reason for the mass starvation, is a complete travesty, and should not go unpunished.These statements reflect a direct threat to the future survival and conservation of this protected species.”Mbako said on Monday that recent scientific research had shown an increase of more than 73 per cent in the Namibian seal population, compared to the 1993 estimates.That would mean that Namibia had 379 939 seal pups this year.That contradicted Iyambo’s earlier statement that the seal population had in fact shown an overall recovery rate of 73 per cent compared to the 1993 level, Hugo said.Iyambo had said that Namibia had 185 000 pups this year.Hugo said the continual reference to the 1993 seal population implied that it was the largest seal population ever.However, the mass die-offs of 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2001 cut the seal population by one third, according to Hugo.”There was also one in 1988 and clearly in 2006, another is occurring.The seal population has therefore never recovered from the 1994 mass die-off incident, yet seal culling has increased from 32 545 pups (1994) to 85 000 pups (2006),” Hugo argued.He said the combined Namibian and South African seal population had never exceeded 324 000 pups since the start of official population surveys.”Seal Alert SA is in possession of the official colony-by-colony population surveys, and in 1993, pup population surveys for all 16 seal colonies in Namibia revealed that there were 219 618 pups.Clearly the 185 000 pups announced by the Minister in July 2006 is below the seal pup population recorded in 1993.In fact, the 185 000 pups is the same number recorded in the 1982 seal pup population survey,” Hugo said.He said Mbako’s claim that the pup population had increased 73 per cent between 1993 and 2006 was “pure fabrication, and is in fact some 200 000 pups more than that stated by the Minister in July”.”Inflating and falsifying the seal pup population by over 100 per cent to conceal the mismanagement, and lay claim to over-population as the reason for the mass starvation, is a complete travesty, and should not go unpunished.These statements reflect a direct threat to the future survival and conservation of this protected species.”